Metropolitan Institute

The Metropolitan Institute (MI), Alexandria, conducts basic and applied research on national and international development patterns, focusing on key forces shaping metropolitan growth such as demographics, environment, technology, design, transportation, and governance. The Institute seeks to expand knowledge in urban and metropolitan affairs in order to improve policy and practice, and to educate the general public on important issues facing communities.

MI shares knowledge through events, presentations, publications, a website and media outreach. MI was founded in 2001 as part of Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture and Urban Studies. The Institute also collaborates on urban research with associated university colleges and departments and external institutions.

The Institute’s current research program consists of five major initiative areas and objectives:

• The New Metropolis: to explore changing regional growth, demographics, land use and transportation patterns
• Fair Growth: to examine regional equity issues such as fair share housing, environmental justice and transportation accessibility, and study their impact on metropolitan growth patterns and policies
• Green Regions: to investigate ways of creating environmentally sustainable regions through better building and community design
• Smart Governance: to understand how technology can improve governance and enhance citizen participation in the planning process
• World Cities: to assess how major metropolitan areas fit into the world economy and the world system of cities